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More than 10,000 signatures collected to protest against unfair toll hike

DAP Petaling Jaya Action Team (PJAT) had on 23rd December 2006 officially launched an online petition to register our strongest protest against it.The UMNO-led Government had announced tolls will be increased in five main highways in KlangValley with effective from 1st January 2007.

As of 1:30pm today (15thJjan 07), 11123 people had signed the English petition while another 1989 signatures are collected on the Malay petition, whose content is exactly the same as the English petition. Therefore, the total signature collected is 13112.

This is an increment of almost 650% compared to the total number of signatures collected at 11am 1st January 2007 (1598 signatures on the English petition, 157 signatures on the Malay petition, total signature collected is 1755)

With this latest development, we had already achieved the target of collecting 10,000 signatures on this campaign.

We hope to collect more signatures and thus urge those who had signed the petitions to mobilize more motorists and friends to sign this online petition. Both petitions will be printed together with the signatures to be submitted to the Works Minister, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu this week and we will inform the media on the details about it. We also invite members of the public who signed the petition, NGOs, NGIs and members of the media to participate.

After about two hours of “protest in the rain”, the 300 strong protestors at the Gombak toll today wanted the coalition against toll hike to continue organising more protest demonstrations until the Umno-led BN govt gives in to the demand of the rakyat, i.e. reduce toll fees and to review all concession contracts.

The Bandar Mahkota Cheras Open Access Road Action Committee (BMC-OARAC) has invited the Coalition to hold a demo at the Grand Saga Cheras 11th mile toll plaza on the coming Sunday at 4pm. It would be on once endorsement was given by all members in the Coalition.

ABOVE & BELOW: The PKR & DAP protesters took up positions orderly and unfurled their well prepared banners and started shouting the slogans afetr being prompted.

In my address to the protestors, I said the rakyat will continue to suffer as long as the Barisan Nasional is still in the government. The only way out for the people would be a change of government. I also asked the crowd to give big hands to a couple who joined us from Kajang. They were at the Sunway Pyramid protest last Sunday and they again showed up at the Gombak toll today. The couple has two handicapped children to take care. You can imagine what kind of pressure and burden on their shoulders.

Hancurkan BN,Tidak Ada Tol!== = = = = ==

Compare to the Jan 7 07 anti-toll hike protest in Sunway Pyramid the number of participants dropped drastically to about 300 near the KarakTollPlaza near Gombak.Nevertheless, the protesters as usual were vocal and shouted slogans against the toll hikes on Jan 01.They also urged the government to listen to public opinions and review the toll agreements granted to the cronies.The leaders present were PKR vice-president R Sivarasa, PKR information chief Tian Chua, DAP leader Ronnie Liu, PAS leader Saari Sungip, PAS deputy youth chief Idris Ahmad.

ABOVE & BELOW: After the protesters took up their positions, the FRU anti-riot squad was deployed and kept an eye on the protesters with their shields and batons ready.

The Police are smarter now.Instead of forcibly dispersing the crowd and in the process causing harm & violence; they allow them to speak and also to give them a chance to disperse.No arrest was made.The protesters and demonstrators were happy with this arrangement as the can maintain their rights for a peaceful show of anger against the hike in tolls.But when Police deployed two armored vehicles and seven trucks of riot troops, the protesters caused uproar of disapproval.

ABOVE & BELOW:The appearance of these armoured was very intimating upsetting and the protesters "booed" them

“Even former Prime Minister Mahathir also admitted Road contract is a stupid contract, and the people must object to that also” Tian Chua, said. Other representatives from opposition parties and non-governmental organizations unanimously condemned the Barisan National government for signing these toll agreements exploiting the peopleand called on all present to vote to overthrow the corrupt government and change the fate of being exploited all the time.

ABOVE: This couple were at the Bandar Sunway protest and used back the SAME placard (left one) but this time wiser - the two kids left with relatives perhaps.

Despite the drizzling rain, they shouted "reduce tolls", "abolition of toll stations” and "overthrow the National Front" slogans at the gathering.A great number of students (also affected as they were also users) were presentto protest the government's increased road tolls. The message to government is “If you do not lower oil prices, tolls, tariffs, the people will overthrow you!

DAP Secretary Ronnie Liu saidthe National Front government in power abuse their power to allow UMNOcompanies to benefit as toll operators, it should be abolished –all tolled road, the only option is to replace the government.

ABOVE & BELOW: The speeches started and condemned the government on its unfair practices in allowing the signing of the toll agreements that have automatic toll increases over fixed period.

He also questioned why the Prime Minister for failing to give a proper explanationand instead threatened to use OSA on the leaked toll agreements

The Police mentioned the assembly was unlawful and they had the power to arrest. However, they choose to give the demonstrators the opportunity to"make some noise" and disperse.